How to hire a builder in the UK: checks before you sign

Before you sign, confirm three things yourself: that the builder belongs to the scheme or trade body they claim, that they hold the right insurance, and that you have a written fixed-price quote and contract with staged payments. Building is not a licensed trade in the UK. No single qualification is required to call yourself a builder, so the checks fall to you (Federation of Master Builders, read 11 October 2026).

How do you find and shortlist builders?

Start with people you trust. Neighbours, friends and your architect can tell you how a builder communicated and handled changes in cost.

You can also use a directory. MyLocalBuilders.uk is one: search for a builder near you or browse by city. Our ranked list is ordered by verified-review score over the last 12 months, then by distance, and nobody pays to move up it. A paid Featured slot sits above the list and is labelled as such. Our review policy explains who can leave a review. Confirm any TrustMark or FMB claim on the scheme's own site rather than relying on ours.

Once you have a shortlist, ask each builder for two or three recent examples of similar work, with contact details for the customers. Citizens Advice says to phone them, because written references are not always genuine, and to avoid traders who will not give references (Citizens Advice, before you get work done, read 11 October 2026). Ask to see a finished job.

What should you check before asking for a quote?

Work through this table for each builder.

What do TrustMark and FMB membership cover?

TrustMark describes itself as the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme for work in or around the home. Its scheme providers vet and monitor registered businesses (TrustMark, consumer protection, read 11 October 2026), and TrustMark advises checking that the business is registered for the specific trade you need (TrustMark, read 11 October 2026). TrustMark also says its checks cannot guarantee a business will never hit financial difficulty during a job (TrustMark, protect your payments, read 11 October 2026). Its complaints process cannot investigate financial or contractual disagreements, or work done when the business was not registered (TrustMark, complaints process, read 11 October 2026).

The Federation of Master Builders says its members are checked on trading history, credit history and proof of public liability insurance, have their work inspected before joining, and follow a code of conduct. It also offers a dispute resolution service and a Check a member tool (FMB, why choose a Master Builder, read 11 October 2026). The FMB says this does not remove the need to compare quotes.

Both are useful screening. Neither guarantees your particular job.

Which insurance matters?

Citizens Advice lists four types: public liability (injury or damage to property, including a neighbour's), employers' liability (a legal requirement if the builder has employees), professional indemnity (design advice) and contractors' all-risk (work damaged before completion). Ask to see the policies and check they will not expire before the job ends. Tell your own buildings insurer too.

How do you compare quotes?

Ask for a quote (a fixed price) rather than an estimate (a rough guess). Citizens Advice suggests at least three written quotes, and a quote should show a fixed total price, a breakdown of work and materials, how long the price is valid, whether VAT is included, and when the price can rise. It warns that a price far below the others may mean the builder lacks the skills or is not pricing the same work. Prefer a fixed total to a daily rate, which can let a job drag on.

For typical prices and what moves them, see our guide to house extension costs. If the job needs drawings, get them before you ask for quotes so every builder prices the same plans: MyLocalArchitects.uk is a directory of architects.

What should the contract and payment schedule look like?

Telling a builder to go ahead forms a contract even if nothing is written down, but a written one helps you recover what you paid for. Citizens Advice says it should cover timings and delays, tidying up and skips, materials and equipment, subcontractors, and how and when you pay. For a larger project, consider having a solicitor from MyLocalSolicitors.co.uk, a directory of UK solicitors, review the contract.

As at October 2026, Citizens Advice's guidance on paying for building work says:

• Pay by card where you can, otherwise by bank transfer, and never in cash.
• Pay in stages tied to named points in the work, so problems can be fixed before the final payment.
• Never agree to pay everything upfront. If a deposit is unavoidable, push it down and do not agree to more than 25%.
• Offer to buy materials yourself instead of paying a deposit for them, and always get a receipt.
• For work costing between £100.01 and £30,000 paid by credit card, you may be able to claim from the card provider under section 75.

TrustMark's Trusted Payments service holds your money in an independent account and releases it as you sign off each milestone, according to TrustMark's Protect Your Payments page.

Do you have a right to cancel?

If you agreed the work at home, by phone or online, you have at least 14 days to cancel and get a refund (as at October 2026). The period starts the day after you give the go-ahead. If you asked for work to start inside those 14 days, you may have to pay for some or all of it. Urgent repairs you called someone out for, and made-to-measure goods, carry no automatic period. The trader must tell you how to cancel, and if they do not, the period is extended by 14 days from when you receive those details, up to a maximum of one year (Citizens Advice, cancelling building work, read 11 October 2026). If you signed at the builder's premises there is no automatic 14-day cooling-off period.

What does the law say about the quality of the work?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a trader must work with reasonable care and skill. Citizens Advice explains this as a good job that is worth what you are charged (Citizens Advice, problems with building work, read 11 October 2026).

A guarantee is a promise to put things right after the job, on top of your legal rights. Get it in writing and check how long it lasts, whether it covers materials as well as workmanship, and whether it passes to a future owner. Ask whether it is insurance-backed, meaning it still stands if the builder goes out of business. TrustMark says registered businesses are expected to give a minimum two-year guarantee, so ask for the details before contracting (TrustMark consumer protection page, as at October 2026).

What if the work goes wrong?

1. Gather your paperwork and receipts, photograph the problem and note dates and times.
2. Raise it in writing with the trader who arranged the work, even if they subcontracted it. Say that the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill, and ask them to put it right or refund you.
3. Agree a reasonable time for the fix. If they cannot or will not, ask for a partial or full refund. Once you agree an amount, the law says the refund is due within 14 days.
4. If you cannot agree, contact the Citizens Advice consumer service, or the scheme's complaints service if the builder is a member.
5. As a last resort you can claim through the county court, once called the small claims court. GOV.UK notes that mediation can be quicker and cheaper (GOV.UK, make a court claim for money, read 11 October 2026).

If something is dangerous, stop using it, and report a dangerous building or structure to your council. Trading Standards are usually contacted through the Citizens Advice consumer service, according to its guidance on problems with building work.

Common questions

How many quotes should I get?

At least three. Citizens Advice says to try for at least three written quotes, and TrustMark and the FMB also advise three.

Do I need building regulations approval?

It depends on the work. Citizens Advice says you usually need it to extend a building, with approval from a building control body before work starts. Some work by a trader on a competent person scheme needs no separate approval. Ask your local council if unsure.